title: Suitability of the short-form Mini Nutritional Assessment in free-living elderly people in the northwest of Spain.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the Mini Nutritional Assessment (MNA) test and the short-form MNA (MNA-SF) as screening tools for malnutrition risk and malnutrition in the free-living elderly of northwestern Spain.
  
  
  METHODS
  transversal study.
  
  
  METHODS
  free-living elderly people of northwestern Spain.
  
  
  METHODS
  728 participants (36.4% men and 63.6% women), the average of age for both genders was 80.7 ± 7.4.
  
  
  RESULTS
  according to MNA screening 12.5% subjects were classified as undernutrition (MNA < 17) and 57.5% were at risk for undernutrition (17 ≤ MNA ≤ 23.5). Significant correlations were found between MNA-SF and the full version (r=0.916; p < 0.000). The sensibility and specificity of the MNA-SF for the full MNA version were 81.4% and 92.7%, respectively. The regression analyses showed that weight loss had more influence on the MNA score, followed by the Body Mass Index (BMI), acute illness or psychological stress, mobility, self-perceived health status and neuropsychological problems.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These data showed a high prevalence of undernutrition risk among the free-living elderly people in northwestern Spain using the MNA test in two steps. The high sensitivity and specificity of MNA-SF might be sufficient for medical practice to identify patients at undernutrition risk or undernutrition. Generally, the full MNA confirmed the diagnosis for persons identified at risk by the MNA-SF, and planning was needed for nutritional interventions.
authors.affiliation: Area of Nutrition and Bromatology, Faculty of Science of Ourense, University of Vigo, As Lagoas sn. 32004 Ourense, Spain.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: De La Montana
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Miguez
mesh_terms: D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015992:Body Mass Index; D005260:Female; D015577:Geriatric Assessment; D006305:Health Status Indicators; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D044342:Malnutrition / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology; D015596:Nutrition Assessment; D009752:Nutritional Status; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013030:Spain / Q000453:epidemiology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires / Q000592:standards*